I'm angry. The business with the CIA and the torture tape leaves me angry. Why oh why have the Democrats not immediately impeached Bush, Cheney, the Attorneys General involved, the Secretaries of State and Foreign Affairs, the heads of the CIA and the military, and anyone else involved in torture? When did America become the next Inquisition?
If I ever met one of the Congressional Democrats, I would refuse to shake their hands. They are cowards.
Maybe they'll try to supervise the unrestrained adventurism of the so-called Intelligence community. This is the worst case scenario of the rhetoric of the Leftists of the 70s. Back then I thought it was paranoia and conspiracy theories. Now I think it's reality.
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I agree completely. This situation is unbelievable. It shouldn't be necessary to say that torture is unacceptable. It should go without saying that those responsible should be relieved of their offices and put on trial. To treat it as just another political issue is irresponsible. I don't use words like this lightly, but this is evil.
Well, why does anyone stay in an abusive relationship?
One descriptive explanation may be that many Americans are stuck in a state of learned helplessness. We've been sinking into this particular episode of psychopathology for decades. To borrow a phrase from another blog here: Our baseline has shifted, slowly, to the point that a lot of folks no longer recall what a healthier political culture is like.
Now the many folks who are dazed and confused are easily manipulated and exploited by the few whose sickness might be called "evil".
What is the possibility of 'interrogators' being charged with murder if a detainee dies while being questioned under these circumstances?
I've pretty much come to the conclusion that America is past the point of no return. Setting aside to many historical divergences and subtleties that separate us, we've more or less ended up just like Rome. We've done away with all but the ceremonial vestiges of genuine republicanism and are effectively an empire. All we can hope for is a relatively soft-landing once the shitstorm is over.
Two things in your favour, Tyler. One is that those who choose the representatives are not only in the military, as they effectively were in Rome. The second is that you have a legal system with a judiciary that occasionally acts independently. These two things may yet pull you out of the oligarchy in which you now find yourself. It's happened before.
I'd like to respond to several of the comments/questions above - and should start by admitting to being an American, an attorney (hisses, catcalls, etc., all taken as fair comment under the circumstances - we've behaved abominably).
Mr. Spedding's question: The possibility of criminal exposure - i.e. risk of criminal prosecution - is quite high, particularly if there's unambiguous evidence. Such as a videotape. Depending on what's on the tape - the death might result in a variety of charges - all quite serious - but "murder" as such less likely. More likely manslaughter, criminal civil rights violations, and a variety of international humanitarian law violations.
The probability of at least a number of officials being prosecuted for destruction of evidence, obstruction of justice, and perjury or giving false unsworn statements (lying about the existence of the tapes) seems to increase by the hour.
Note that even prominent Republicans (Hoekstra, Kean) appear to have been lied to and to be quite angry.
Regarding Dr. Wilkins' comment #5, supra. It's true that we have a somewhat independent judiciary. (See Const. Art. III - lifetime appointments, etc.). But many judicial seats have been filled with partisans - particularly on the Supreme Court, and on certain intermediate appellate courts. My understanding is that this is most pronounced in the Fourth Circuit (Southeast states, including Virginia) and the District of Columbia Circuit (cases arising in the D.C. federal courts).
The various "torture memos" - in my assessment - were mean to give the recipients of the memos "good faith" cover - to provide protection against any later prosecutions.
What's happened in the extraterritorial actions against Chilean (and other) officials has likely given pause to many United States officials. I'd be surprised if, for instance, Henry Kissinger travels to Europe - unless to Britain - for fear of answering charges arising from the actions of the Pinochet regime. Were he my client, I'd advise him to stay in the States entirely, now that Blair is out of office. (recall that Blair allowed the arrested Pinochet to leave London on grounds of ill health; like Dr. Strangelove, Pinochet emerged from his wheelchair within seconds of alighting on the tarmac in Chile, looking quite fit and robust).
The independent judiciary that's having a large - if offstage - role here is the EUROPEAN judiciary.
Final comment: While not a scientist, I'm afraid that the Democrats undercut evolutionary theory. They seem to have neither spine nor exoskeleton. Yet they manage to walk unaided and speak complex sentences.
My apologies for the over-long post.